Glaucoma is a condition of the eye characterized by increased intraocular pressure. Untreated, the condition eventually leads to irreversible retinal damage and blindness. Presently drugs such as pilocarpine and its various salts are used for its treatment. Although these drugs are useful they generally exhibit side effects such as extreme miosis, spasm of accomodation, night blindness and transient blurred vision. It has now been found that the R,R-stereoisomer of labetalol or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof is effective in reducing intraocular pressure without the side effects associated with pilocarpine type drugs.